Deepak Chahar blew away the Bangladesh batting order in the third T20I to hand India a 2-1 series win at the VCA Stadium here on Sunday. With the visitors chasing a target of 175, the 27-year-old Rajasthan seamer bagged 6 wickets for just 7 runs, including a hat-trick, from 3.2 overs to return with the best ever figures in the history of T20 internationals, surpassing the previous record held by Sri Lanka’s Ajantha Mendis who scalped 6/8 against Zimbabwe in 2012.
Man of the Match Chahar’s heroics on Sunday took his series tally to 8 wickets for 56 runs in 10.2 overs, earning him the Man of the Series award.
“I never thought of this, not even in my dreams. I have been trying to work hard since my childhood and my efforts have paid off,” Chahar said in the post-match presentation ceremony.
Chahar dismissed Liton Das and Soumya Sarkar upfront before breaking a 98-run stand between Mohammad Naim and Mohammad Mithun that had put Bangladesh in cruise mode. He then wiped out the tail with a hat-trick, the first by an Indian male cricketer, and 12th overall, in T20 internationals.
“Rohit was planning to give me the crucial overs and the management wanted to do the same. I always focus on the next ball and keep doing that until I complete my spell,” Chahar said.
